We marked an important anniversary in January, but it is not one to celebrate. Ten years ago the Iowa Legislature increased Iowa’s minimum wage to $7.25. It has remained there ever since.Guest opinion. February 4, 2018

Getting it right on the minimum wage
Why low-wage proponents get it wrong.
Iowa Policy Points post February 12, 2018

Jan. 25, 2018

Merchant/Osterberg: Impacts of the CAFO explosion on water quality and public health

By James Merchant and David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register

The current industrial model of livestock production is not sustainable. The very real pushback from rural residents and communities will, however, be sustained.Guest opinion. January 25, 2018

January 23, 2018

Owen: Governor missed opportunity in ‘unleashing opportunity’

By Mike Owen in the Press-Citizen, Iowa City

We start off the legislative session not knowing where the funding will come from to maintain the services we have, with legislative leadership locked into an agenda to drive down those services, and no real sense of how the governor will protect long-held priorities of Iowans. Guest opinion. January 23, 2018

January 7, 2018

Fisher: Don't replicate Kansas’ failures in Iowa

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Let’s hope our Legislature learns from the Kansas experience; we don’t need Iowa to be another testing ground for a failed idea.Guest opinion. January 7, 2018

Sept. 11, 2017

Merchant/Osterberg: Master Matrix reform needed

By James Merchant and David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register

There is now widespread concern in rural Iowa about CAFO growth and impact. The entire process of approving animal confinement facilities needs to be changed. Guest opinion. Or PDF. September 11, 2017

Sept. 2, 2017

Gordon: Disapppointing trends for Iowa working families

By Colin Gordon in The Des Moines Register

Patterns of employment, job creation, and wage and income growth across the Iowa economy are telling — and disappointing. Guest opinion. Or PDF. September 2, 2017

July 18, 2017

Owen: Rushing to push Iowans off insurance

By Mike Owen in the Gazette, Cedar Rapids

In none of the Senate or House proposals do we see opportunities to further increase access to insurance for those who are most vulnerable. Instead, the rush is on to push Iowans off of insurance and away from health care they need. Guest opinion. Or PDF. February 13, 2017

February 13, 2017

Owen: Collective bargaining offers accountability at every step

By Mike Owen in the Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Take it from a school board member: Iowa's current collective bargaining process works well, fosters collaboration, and offers accountability to all. Guest opinion. Or PDF. February 13, 2017

February 1, 2017

Fisher: ACA repeal spells trouble for Iowa

By Peter Fisher in The Nonpareil, Council Bluffs

Immediate repeal, with replacement unspecified and left to an uncertain future, is simply reckless. Iowans deserve better.Guest opinion. Or PDF. February 1, 2017

Also versions of this column in the Quad-City Times, Jan. 25, 2017, and the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.

January 6, 2017

Fisher: Overriding local democracy, wage fairness

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

A third of Iowa’s jobs are now covered by a minimum wage established by local, democratically elected county supervisors. A look at the issues with repealing those decisions. Guest opinion. Or PDF. January 6, 2017

December 13, 2016

Fisher: Is Iowa Legislature set to repeat mistakes of Kansas?

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

It’s likely that no one campaigned for the state Legislature this fall on a platform of cutting funding for education. Yet many lawmakers would do exactly that. Guest opinion. Or PDF. December 13, 2016

December 13, 2016

Conrad: A clearer picture of water quality efforts

By Sara Conrad in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Not only do Iowans want cleaner water. They are owed more accountability than they are getting for the effort and investments they have made.Guest opinion. Or PDF. December 13, 2016

Sept. 6, 2016

Osterberg: Solar power shines when we need it the most

By David Osterberg and Nathaniel Baer in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

The hot sun we experienced this August not only caused the local electric grid to experience high use, but it also powered solar systems distributed around Eastern Iowa.Guest opinion. Or PDF. September 6, 2016

June 26, 2016

Osterberg: Steps to move Iowa forward on water quality

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

The Nutrient Reduction Strategy is not really a strategy at all without timelines, deadlines and a plan for implementation. It is just a wish list.Guest opinion. Or PDF. June 26, 2016

May 25, 2016

Osterberg: Stop winking at the problem of water quality

By David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register

We heard a lot of talk this year about how Iowa should do something about water quality. Dealing with it will take a comprehensive approach.Guest opinion. Or PDF. May 25, 2016

April 14, 2016

Fisher: Minimum wage increases should continue

By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

Johnson County residents should be proud to join the 28 other cities and counties across the country that have taken action to boost the wages of low-wage workers.Guest opinion. Or PDF. April 14, 2016

March 5, 2016

Osterberg: Source of pollution should be the source of funding

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

One answer to the issue of funding water-quality solutions is right in front of us: Tax the pollutants.Guest opinion (CR Gazette). March 5, 2016

February 12, 2016

Owen: Minimum wage, EITC both need boosts

By Mike Owen in The Des Moines Register

There are many pieces in the puzzle to getting Iowa families to a family-supporting wage, and both an increase in the minimum wage and a stronger Earned Income Tax Credit are among them.
Guest opinion. Or PDF. February 12, 2016

December 29, 2015

Owen: Time for IWD to tackle wage theft

By Mike Owen in The Des Moines Register

To fulfill her agency’s dedication to “helping Iowans find careers that lead to an improved quality of life,” the director of Iowa Workforce Development should provide leadership to stop the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars from Iowa workers.
Guest opinion. Or PDF. December 29, 2015

December 16, 2015

Owen: Governor's job numbers are not realistic

By Mike Owen in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Beth Townsend is showing what it looks like when an agency director runs political interference for Governor Branstad, promoting a faulty job growth number as director of Iowa Workforce Development.Guest opinion. Or PDF. December 16, 2015

October 22, 2015

Fisher: Sales-tax change is a gift — not an incentive

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

The massive property tax break for commercial and industrial policy enacted in 2013 has been touted as the largest tax cut in state history. You might think that the business community would take that and be satisfied for a while. You would be wrong.Guest opinion. Or PDF. October 22, 2015

August 25, 2015

Fisher: $10.10 min. wage first step to progress in local economy

By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

The proposal to set a minimum wage for Johnson County workers at $10.10 is an important first step toward creating a local economy that provides family-supporting jobs.Guest opinion. Or PDF. August 25, 2015

Funding decisions? Overdue. School budgets? On time. Political games? Still going, as scheduled.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

March 6, 2015

Fisher: Tax cuts represent Iowa’s priorities problem

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette

Tax cuts have consequences. In the case of the massive commercial property tax cut enacted two years ago, those consequences have become all too real.Guest opinion (DM Register). Or PDF.Guest opinion (CR Gazette). April 5, 2015

Jan. 31, 2015

Osterberg: Iowa should ‘Choose 2’ to reduce water pollution

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

There doesn’t have to be “war” over solutions to reduce ag-based water pollution.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

Jan. 11, 2015

Owen: Rethink Iowa tax policy

Past decisions on tax cuts have constrained future choices, with lawmakers almost defiant in ignoring the predictable result. Guest Opinionby Mike Owen in the Quad-City Times. Or PDF.

Dec. 28, 2014

Owen: Hawkeyes' bowl game prompts question: What’s in a name?

Even with the corporatization of all that is good, like football bowl games, at least one bowl game is associated with paying taxes instead of avoiding them.Guest Opinionby Mike Owen in The Des Moines Register. Or PDF.

Dec. 8, 2014

Owen: Boost state minimum wage

Election Night 2014 established why Governor Terry Branstad should push for an increase in the state minimum wage.Guest Opinionby Mike Owen in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids. Or PDF.

Oct. 9, 2014

Fisher: If Lucky’s getting lucky, what about the taxpayers?

When cities are asked for subsidies for commercial development, they should ask their own question: Is it an incentive, or is it a gift?Guest opinionby Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City. Or PDF.

September 19, 2014

Gordon: Iowa workers know ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’

Ongoing survey work by the Eastern Iowa Center for Worker Justice finds wage theft — unpaid wages, failure to pay the minimum wage or overtime rates, illegal paycheck deductions — to be distressingly common in and around Iowa City.Guest Opinion by Colin Gordon in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City. Or PDF.

August 11, 2014

Fisher: Getting to the truth of Iowa tax facts

Iowans are taxed more lightly than the national average, and at a lower rate than most surrounding states. The corporate income tax collected by the state is much below the national average. Business groups aren't telling you that.Guest opinion by Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids. Or PDF.

August 8, 2014

Gibney: Iowa is spinning its wheels on the minimum wage

On Iowa’s low road, low-wage workers will never get ahead. They keep spinning their wheels at a $7.25 minimum wage, digging deeper into the mud. Guest Opinion by Heather Gibney in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City. Or PDF.

July 23, 2014

Osterberg: Voluntary measures aren’t enough

The new Nutrient Reduction Strategy must demand more than just happy talk and examples of some really good farmers taking action.Guest Opinion by David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids. Or PDF.

May 8, 2014

Owen: Looks like we’ll have to wait for bigger steps

Iowa families took a couple of important steps forward during the just-completed legislative session. We'll have to wait until a future session for more — and more significant — advancements.Guest Opinionby Mike Owen in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City. Or PDF.

April 22, 2014

Osterberg: Go green on local level: Help monarchs

When we consider Earth Day, some folks think of polar bears, even though they might have seen one only in a zoo or a Coke commercial. You’re in Iowa. Think of monarch butterflies.Guest Opinion by David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids. Or PDF.

April 19, 2014

Owen: Want a better budget? Make different choices

With budget cuts we often hear of “difficult funding decisions.” But these difficulties are mostly self-inflicted because we accept that the state’s budget pie is fixed. We cannot cut our way to prosperity.Guest Opinionby Mike Owen in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City. Or PDF.

April 11, 2014

Fisher: What raising the minimum wage would do for workers

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

Working full time is no guarantee that your family will be able to get by.Guest opinion. Or PDF.

March 26, 2014

Gibney: ‘Opportunity wage’ is a misleading term

By Heather Gibney in The Des Moines Register

So, the restaurant industry doesn’t want to see an increase in the minimum wage. Now there's a surprise.Guest opinion. Or PDF.

March 26, 2014

Owen: Auto-pilot tax credits add millions to Iowa firms

By Mike Owen in the Quad-City Times, Davenport

Iowa seems to have tired of worrying about this multi-million-dollar giveaway, but it’s not like we have anything else to spend the money on. Or is there?Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

March 19, 2014

Fisher: Strengthen, don't break, Iowa's public pension plans

By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

In Iowa and most states, public-sector pension systems remain strong and healthy.Guest opinion. Or PDF.

January 25, 2014

Owen: Raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation

By Mike Owen in the Press-Citizen, Iowa City

Scrape aside the politics, untwist the numbers and pay attention to the real economics, and it’s not hard to see why it makes sense for Congress or the Iowa Legislature to raise the minimum wage.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

January 11, 2014

Gibney: Wage fears not aligned with reality

By Heather Gibney in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Raising the minimum wage would deliver its benefits into the pockets of Iowa’s working poor, who need it most. And indexing the minimum wage to inflation would be an effective way to take political whims from the matter of pay for the working poor.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

December 28, 2013

Osterberg: Stop the spin — climate change is for real

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Get this straight, everyone: Climate change is real. And no amount of spin will change that.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

December 15, 2013

Osterberg: Alarmist rhetoric sells Iowa pension plan short

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Iowa's state pension systems for state and local public employees are something to celebrate. It's the story you're not hearing enough.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

June 17, 2013

Fisher: All hail the CEO, the wonderful job creator

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

In the beginning, there was a CEO. And he said, “Let there be jobs.”“Iowa View” guest opinion. Or PDF.
Also on our Iowa Policy Points blog, “Job Creationism.”

There was a time from the end of World War II to about 1970 when economic growth was fueled by middle class prosperity. If we are to find a path back to shared prosperity, a good place to start is by taxing some of the income gains that have been captured overwhelmingly by the richest among us and using those funds to invest in our workforce and our economy in a way that benefits all of us.“Iowa View” guest opinion.Also published April 24 in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids.

April 3, 2013

Owen: State approaches incentives in upside-down fashion

By Mike Owen in the Sioux City Journal

The world is upside down when state subsidies of business are presumed to be essential, and when a leading newspaper criticizes those who dare to question it.Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

March 30, 2013

Owen: No proof state benefits from business giveaway

By Mike Owen in The Des Moines Register

It's time for a little accountability. Far from the positive example of economic development as the business lobby claims, the research activities credit is a
poster child for reform. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

March 1, 2013

Fisher: Commercial property taxes: reform first

By Peter Fisher in the Press-Citizen, Iowa City

If Iowa is to make changes in its property tax treatment of commercial and industrial property, the first thing it should do is look to finance the cost of these changes through closing existing tax loopholes and subsidies. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

February 24, 2013

Fisher: Heightened concern about business tax incentives

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Rather than finding more ways to give money away, the first order of business in the General Assembly should be to ensure that existing tax credits achieve the public goals for which they are intended. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

January 15, 2013

Iowa View: Counting job gains while excluding losses is wrong

By Colin Gordon in The Des Moines Register

Gov. Terry Branstad’s claim that Iowa has added 100,000 jobs since January 2011 is nonsense. ... Iowa’s leaders can move these discussions forward constructively, but that starts with ending the politicization of basic economic data, as the governor’s staff has done with numbers on job growth. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

December 9, 2012

Fisher: Beware Snake-Oil Remedies for Iowa's Economy

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

It might come as a surprise to find that a report with the ostensible goal of advising states on how best to achieve growth and prosperity argues that the public sector has little constructive role to play. Such is the case with “Rich States, Poor States,” an annual publication of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

September 28, 2012

Fisher: Why does Iowa ignore its own pro-business tax climate?

By Peter Fisher in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

Every year thousands of new jobs are created in Iowa businesses that expand or build new plants, most without state incentives. This point is frequently missed in commentary from Gov. Terry Branstad’s office, as we saw in the wake of the Orascom deal. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

September 26, 2012

Iowa View: Why is Iowa's pro-business tax climate ignored?

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

Every year thousands of new jobs are created in Iowa businesses that expand or build new plants, most without state incentives. Complaints about Iowa’s business tax system are puzzling, because businesses get a really good deal here. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

July 31, 2012

Osterberg: Reduced funding impedes DNR's ability to do its job

By David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register

A federal EPA investigation clearly showed serious inadequacies in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ efforts to watch over Iowa’s animal feeding operations. The DNR cannot do its job without adequate funding, and funding has been lacking. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

July 2, 2012

Policy implications of the health-care ruling

By Andrew Cannon in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

While many are focusing on the political and judicial ramifications of the Supreme Court ruling affirming the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, it’s important to focus on how the law will affect health coverage. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

June 14, 2012

Iowans shouldn't miss reality about lower public-sector pay

By Andrew Cannon in The Des Moines Register

It will not be surprising, in the post-Wisconsin-recall world, if policymakers feel emboldened to challenge public employee compensation. Sure enough, it already has surfaced in Iowa. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

June 11, 2012

How can Iowa afford not to update the state's work supports?

By Peter Fisher in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

Can we soon afford improvements in work supports? Of course we can.Guest Opinion.

May 19, 2012

TIF bill not a 'good start' but a 'missed opportunity'

By Peter Fisher in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

Little or nothing happened to correct tax-increment financing abuses until this session, when the Legislature at least started to reform Iowa’s TIF law. What do the changes achieve, and where do they fall short? Guest Opinion.

March 18, 2012

Leaders: You prefer tax breaks to education spending

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

The decisions to close Polk Elementary School in Cedar Rapids and the Price Lab School at the University of Northern Iowa have the same underlying cause: The Iowa Legislature is underfunding education. Guest Opinion.

February 24, 2012

Raising EITC would benefit working families

By Andrew Cannon in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

If passed by the Iowa House and signed by the governor, a Senate-passed bill to raise the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit would provide a significant boost to thousands of working families. Guest Opinion. Or PDF.

February 5, 2012

5 ways to fix tax increment financing abuses

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

The case for reform of Iowa's most expensive economic development program — tax increment financing, or TIF — is compelling. Guest Opinion.

January 19, 2012

Case for reforming TIF too compelling to ignore

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

If efforts to reform tax-increment financing are going to be more than tinkering around the edges, some fundamental issues need to be more widely understood. Guest Opinion.

October 18 , 2011

Who are the real job creators?

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

State and local government is a large and important part of the state economy. And it is the only part that our legislators have real control over. Guest Opinion.

October 5 , 2011

Pirates are safe at Coralville's Iowa River Landing

By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

If Coralville's plans to pirate Von Maur from Iowa City do not make abundantly clear the need to reform Iowa's TIF law, nothing will. Guest Opinion.

September 17, 2011

Deal with facts when talking of debt reduction

By Mike Owen in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

To deal with the federal debt debate, one must avoid the distractions and forget about silver-bullet, easy-answer "solutions." Start with a firm foundation of facts, then move forward. What are the pertinent facts about national deficits and debt? Guest Opinion.

September 12, 2011

Wellmark's concerns are premature and misplaced

By Andrew Cannon in The Des Moines Register

In developing a health insurance exchange, the task for Iowa lawmakers is to craft a marketplace that attracts consumers and maintains a level playing field to benefit everyone — not just Wellmark. Guest Opinion.

August 20, 2011

Still waiting for comprehensive, principled tax approaches

By Andrew Cannon in the Sioux City Journal

Sound budgeting principles demand that tax credits are targeted and easy to police, benefit the broader community or economy, and have reasonably accurate cost estimates. The vetoed increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit would have met those standards. Guest Opinion.

The "comprehensive and holistic" approach the Governor wants for taxes invited his signing of an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, not a veto. Guest Opinion.

August 10, 2011

Governor's veto misses mark

By Lily French in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

Are we willing to adopt public policy that helps low- and moderate-income working families and the Iowa economy? Guest Opinion.

June 23, 2011

In Iowa, it’s really the budget rhetoric that’s out of control

By David Osterberg in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

We can fund quality K-12 and higher education, clean air and water and safe streets. Guest Opinion.

May 22, 2011

Get 'whole story' on Research Activities tax credits

By Mike Owen in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Fundamental questions about unaccountable tax credits need answers before officials presume to tell us we don’t have enough money to fund education, law enforcement or environmental quality. Guest Opinion.

May 21, 2011

Connecting the dots on access to health care

By Andrew Cannon in The Des Moines Register

At a time when the number of uninsured tops 50 million, some lawmakers are suggesting policies that would only inflate that number and accelerate economic insecurity. Guest Opinion.

May 12, 2011

Truth in labeling on property-tax bill

By Peter Fisher in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

If truth in advertising were required of legislation, the property tax bill that just passed the Iowa House would have to be labeled “Homeowners: Pay More for Less.” Guest Opinion.

April 17, 2011

Sales-tax TIFs — a bad gimmick

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Iowa should not open the door for any more sales-tax TIFs. Guest Opinion.

April 16, 2011

Tax Day: Our shared commitment

By Andrew Cannon in The Press-Citizen, Iowa City

So much of the rhetoric that surrounds tax day and taxes in general is inflamed by emotion, devoid of fact and not driven by a public spirit. Guest Opinion.

March 13, 2011

Depreciation deduction digs a bigger hole

By Peter Fisher in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

The recession clearly put a hole in state revenues. But the Iowa Legislature is ignoring the adage: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Guest Opinion.

March 7, 2011

Guest column: Stop insanity of tax cuts and giveaways

By David Osterberg in The Des Moines Register

Once again, lawmakers are proposing big special breaks for business but fundamentally misrepresent who will benefit. It's the big and the wealthy, at the expense of everyone else. Guest Opinion.

January 16, 2011

Health care reform helping small businesses

By Andrew Cannon in The Gazette, Cedar Rapids

Health care reform is working. Though the bulk of the 2010 Affordable Care Act’s provisions won’t go into effect for another three years, the provisions that have are making a difference. Guest Opinion.

December 28, 2010

Don't be fooled into weakening Social Security

By Peter Fisher in The Des Moines Register

The only threat to Social Security benefits for the present young generation is from those who want to cut their benefits. Guest Opinion.

October 22, 2010

'Iowa Cannot Afford Smaller State Government'

Andrew Cannon in the Des Moines Register

Our health, businesses and children's economic future cannot sustain a further reduction in state services. We need a state government that is adequately funded to help us stay healthy, keep our economy growing, and secure economic opportunity for future generations. See the guest opinion, or download PDF.

August 29, 2010

'Either We Help Most Americans, or Make Grants to the Rich'

David Osterberg in the Iowa City Press-Citizen

Now is no time for new tax cuts for the wealthiest in America. Seven years of preferential treatment for that tiny sliver of society have given us the greatest deficits and debt we have ever seen. See the guest opinion.

August 3, 2010

Tax unearned, untaxed windfalls

By Mike Owen in the Globe Gazette, Mason City

Those who call for repeal of the estate tax want a special exemption for millions and even billions of dollars that in many cases have never been taxed. Guest Opinion.